POST FALLS — At first glance, Shawn Williams thought the smoke coming from his neighbor's house was from a burnt breakfast.

A closer look quickly revealed otherwise.

Williams is being hailed as a hero by firefighters and occupants of the home at 1502 E. Third Ave. that was gutted on Saturday.

He pounded on the front door to alert two women and children about the fire and helped rush them to safety seconds before the home became engulfed in smoke.

"The door was locked, so I was about to kick it open when a kid opened it," Williams said. "I think it freaked him out, but I grabbed him and put him on the porch. Kim (Hannah) was coming down the hallway to see what was going on, and by the time she went back in for the baby and came out, the house was filled with black smoke."

Hannah, who was renting the home from Wallace and Pam Adams, said Williams kept her calm during the frantic incident.

"We lost everything, but we got out with our lives because of Shawn," Hannah said. "If it wasn't for him, I don't know what would have happened. Shawn was a hero."

Williams had a bystander call 911 at 11:13 a.m. and, after the occupants were out, sprayed the garage, the origin of the fire, with a garden hose until firefighters arrived.

Williams said he doesn't necessarily see himself as a hero, however.

"It was one of those things you don't really even think about," he said. "I was already in there before I really knew what was going on. I'm usually not even up that early, but I just

happened to be outside and had hooked up a friend's boat when I saw the smoke coming from the corner of the garage."

Steve Isaacson, a division chief for Kootenai County Fire and Rescue, said Williams' response likely saved lives.

"He did an excellent job of notifying the family and helping them out," he said.

Hannah said she was in a back room watching movies with her grandchildren — Dominic Hoffman, 7, and Stella Yearsley, 3, — and her third grandson, Oliver Yearsley, 8 months, was sleeping in a play pen. Hannah's daughter Brooke Brakeman, 23, was in the shower when the fire started.

The cause of the fire is blamed on faulty wiring in the garage, Isaacson said.

"It was amazing how quickly the fire took everything," Hannah said. "I never expected anything like that to happen in my life."

A chihuahua named Layla died in the fire. However, Hannah rescued a chihuahua named Lilly and a firefighter saved a border collie named Bandit.

KCFR Firefighter Kelly Krause sprained his back when he tripped while exiting the home. He was treated and released from Kootenai Health on Saturday.

"He'll probably be off work for a few weeks," Isaacson said.

The family is temporarily staying at a local hotel and received assistance from the American Red Cross. Hannah said the family appreciates the assistance from the community.

"Random people have given us money or a number to call if we need help," she said.

Coeur d'Alene Fire, Northern Lakes Fire District, Hauser Lake and Kootenai County EMS assisted KCFR.